Saying goodbye to empty statements or material bragging, the album Ruby is an affirmation of Jennie&#39;s diverse musical personality, responding to rumors and public dissection about her private life and lifestyle.

Jennie is more than just a pop star &ndash; she&rsquo;s a phenomenon whose every move and action is the center of attention. But instead of shying away from that scrutiny, Jennie faces it head-on in her debut solo album Ruby. Amidst her diverse musical palette, she&rsquo;s both a distant icon and an emotional human being &ndash; loving passionately, ignoring all the gossip, and stepping out of the cage with unprecedented confidence. It&rsquo;s safe to say that Ruby is a huge step forward since JENNIE made her mark with SOLO in 2018.
With 15 songs, in addition to previously released songs such as Mantra, Love Hangover (collaboration with Dominic Fike) and ExtraL (ft. Doechii), Ruby also attracted attention with a series of new songs such as Like JENNIE, Start a War, Seoul City and Starlight. In particular, the album has a famous guest list, from FKJ in Intro to Dua Lipa with Handlebars or Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis with Damn Right. 
According to Jennie, Ruby is her own story from a personal perspective, inspired by Shakespeare's play As You Like It, exploring themes of origin, love, faith and the pinnacle of life. She shared: "The journey of making the album is a meaningful process of growing up and discovering myself."

JENNIE - like JENNIE (Official Video)

This is most evident on Like Jennie , where she is self-aware of her influence. Over a pulsing beat, Jennie turns her own name into a defiant declaration: &ldquo;Who wanna rock with Jennie? Keep your hair done, nails done like Jennie.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s the kind of song only she can pull off&mdash;a declaration of dominance while also exuding a cool, natural vibe.
With The IE (Way Up) is a playful take on the public eye, as Jennie takes control of the narrative around her. The song is inspired by Jennifer Lopez's Jenny from the Block, but where J.Lo's hit is a statement of her roots; Jennie's is more edgy and direct:
<blockquote>
Target on my name
But you're way off
Why are you evaluating me on your day off.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Handlebars, featuring Dua Lipa captures the feeling of falling in love in a hurry, rushing in without thinking: &ldquo;I heard that fools rush in/ That's me.&rdquo; Love Hangover, featuring Dominic Fike, is intimate and flirtatious, while Damn Right, a '90s slow jam with Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis, is a graceful blend of three musical colors.

JENNIE & Dua Lipa - Handlebars (Official Video)

But the highlight that best demonstrates Jennie&rsquo;s artistic ability is Zen &ndash; a song that explodes with empty verses, in stark contrast to the tense, electronic chorus. The contrasting texture of minimalism and sonic overload adds weight to the song. Stripped of its elaborate production, Zen seems simple, but Jennie&rsquo;s charisma and director Cho Gi-Seok's imagination make it the brightest highlight of the album.
Jennie could have taken the easy route. With her established reputation, Ruby could have been a crowd-pleasing album that played to her charisma and played it safe. The lead single Mantra had many thinking Jennie would go for easy-listening pop, but instead, Ruby is a strong personal statement.

JENNIE - ZEN (Official Video)

Now that all four BLACKPINK members have released extensive solo material, the group is set to reunite on stage for a global tour in July 2025. They have also confirmed that they are working on new music projects.
Regarding this comeback, JENNIE excitedly shared: &ldquo;I miss the girls, the tours together and the silly moments. Everyone has had their own journey, and I look forward to seeing the strongest version of each member.&rdquo;

Jennie steps out of the "golden cage" with her first full album "Ruby"

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